Ramadan 2008

[Henia 11]

Ramadan is just around the corner ... this question has been asked before but with the newer people and more SOs in the US now ... I believe should be asked again: What are you doing for Ramadan this year? Same as usual? Or something special?

[~Jackie~ 30]

I'm ready !

When you read the Quran in Ramadan, do you start at the beginning or read the suras at random? Will anyone else be attempting to read it all during Ramadan?

Will we have the usual 'what day does it really start' discussions? lol happens every year. I can only imagine all the long distance phone calls that night back home to ask..'what day are you starting? I just start with Jordan and I'm covered.

Those that need make-up fasts...here's your 2 weeks to do it!

Jackie

[Mommy2ZaidnSalma 11]

We probably wont do anything, sadly...

[Jenn! 918]

We're moving out of our apartment at the end of this month and staying with family for the first week of September then moving into our new place. It's not going to be a fun way to spend the beginning of Ramadan!

[RAKASA 0]

I'm not sure I'm looking forward to it - longer days and all.... I have some fasts to make up for last year and I'm just not motivated yet. I *do* plan to read the Qur'an during Ramadan (beginning to end) and I have some recitation cds in the car as well. We'll start out Ramadan together, but then my husband is going home about mid-September to visit his family, so, I'll be alone for Eid.

We had originally hoped that I would join him for Eid in Morocco and spend a couple of weeks there together, but the finances just aren't happening for it.

Oh well, such is life...

[sara..... 371]

hmm i will read the Qur'an from start to end i thought perviz would be here this year to share it with me but not to happen so.......probably just do the same as always

[nunyab 0]

this is my first Ramadan as a muslimah... i converted a week before Eiid last year so anything special??? First year and only year i plan to do it alone!

What do people usually do that is special???

[doodlebugg 10]

same stuff different year for me.

[nunyab 0]

Ramadan is just around the corner ... this question has been asked before but with the newer people and more SOs in the US now ... I believe should be asked again: What are you doing for Ramadan this year? Same as usual? Or something special?

Thanks for starting a new one... i got behind on the last thread

[Henia 11]

Waw Jenn! that's really not fun! Hope the move and those first few days go smoothly!

Rajaa, Mabrouk on your converism and praying you have blessed Ramadan/Eid! And even with you SO in Morocco, throu Net and phone I am sure you two will share a "special" month together!

For me, will be first not attending the Tarawee prayers. Feeling little guilty but I am sure I will get over it! I will be busy ... giving birth (enchallah) or caring for the baby ... so I think my mind will not have too much time for guilt (or whatever) ...

Like I said, busy with baby ... so I am thankful school for my daughter is starting AFTER Eid ... a break! I am sure we will have alot people over visiting, in-laws and friends. I am not sure how I will be able to handle the in-laws but the friends are OK since I know they will be understanding and help out =) But the in-laws I know all except all the protocols ... LOL boy will they be surprised that I will not be waiting on them hand and foot LOL!

Hoping my husband will be able to take his vacation during Ramadan ... it being first Ramadan he has been home! And let him soak up life with new baby! Since he seems to think having a baby is so cheap - ye right!

I plan to make the Chourba in batches weekly ... then freeze them. Slow simmer them as needed for the meals. Also has already started pre-making/freezing my boureks enough for the month. Going easy on the sweets ... planning to only buy the kalb el louz from the bakery (cheaper and way less effort) makes some tarts and brownies which everyone likes. Forget the rest - I have an excuse this year LOL!

Algerians spent way too much money during Ramadan for food- which to me is the exact opposite of what one should be doing ... I hope this year my husband will finally see that (I rather buy diapers then spent the money for gateaux (cakes)) Not to mention all the food prices double!

But all and all less time in the kitchen I hope will also mean more time for mediation and reading. Enchallah as someone suggested to me, I will try to pray 2-3 pages after fajr and 6 pages during the time of when my husband goes to Tarawee!

Also have some small "lessons" between my daughter and I on the names of Allah daily.

Have my husband no matter what he says ... take food to the mosque for the poor. I will not take "no" for answer this year.

And then finally on Eid ... go to an orphange with my family ... visit the children and hand out the Eid baskets I have been essembling.

Enchallah that is my plan ... not sure if I will be able to do all of it thou!

Wishing everyone blessed Ramadan! May your fasts, prayers and good deeds be accepted!

[AlHayatZween 2]

First year and only year i plan to do it alone!

Inchallah...

i hope you find a way to share it with your habeeb!

i am so overwhelmed with immigration stuff, i hardly have had time to start planning...

but hopefully i will be better organized next week. will probably start when Morocco starts just to make it easier on Hayati.

something special: was thinking of inviting my family over to the new, very petite apartment for Eid al-Fitr for haraira, a big tagine, and goodies... don't know how well it will go over though...?

hz

[amal 4]

I'm a horrible muslimah. I don't look forward to Ramadan. I know it's required so I'll do it (or pay the charities if that's accepted). I throw up if I am too hungry for too long and seriously after about 1 hour without a drink....I'm completely parched. It's not a good time for me whatsoever and I am sure I'll be in a horribly nasty mood during it. I'll try to be nice though! How do some of you get past the "uggg time to starve for a month" feeling???

[doodlebugg 10]

I'm a horrible muslimah. I don't look forward to Ramadan. I know it's required so I'll do it (or pay the charities if that's accepted). I throw up if I am too hungry for too long and seriously after about 1 hour without a drink....I'm completely parched. It's not a good time for me whatsoever and I am sure I'll be in a horribly nasty mood during it. I'll try to be nice though! How do some of you get past the "uggg time to starve for a month" feeling???

• take it one day at a time...or some days one hour at a time
• try to focus on the whole reason for fasting
• fast in ways other than food in addition to fasting from food, i.e. no radio for a month unless it's the news, no internet for a month and in the time you'd watch tv or do whatever it is your fasting from, read the Quran or do dikr

Basically take the whole month to focus on Allah and Allah alone. I know this is morbid but I try to think about what if I only had a few days to live and I KNEW that I would die very soon..................then I focus on the afterlife and how looooooooooooooong (infinity!) it is and how very short this month is compared to that.

[NicEgypt 0]

umm really i ask allah accpet Ramadan from me and all muslims ............. ramadan with me really special month FASTING and PRAY alot read QURAN and inshallah this year i well go to stay at MASJED last 10 day's in this month read quran and pray all night really this my best month in the year this month just for allah onlyyyy .

[lion_lioness 0]

Amal - I know it's hard for me too. I work in an office and I'm the only muslim (there's one other girl but she's moving to Saudi in September). We don't have offices here just desks and ppl eat lunch at their desks all through the day. At first I am intimidated - still looking forward - just scared on how I'll make it. One thing I do is try to buy some new scarves and such. I normally don't cover because of my work (I keep praying for strength to not care about work an and just cover) - but in the holy month I do cover and I let everyone know. I also won't schedule in-person meetings with clients if I can avoid.

Normally, we try to eat a 3-5 course meal together and pray the evening prayer together. This year I will attempt to read the whold Quran again. I would also like to find a masjid that my husband and I could visit - since we've yet to find one near our home .

Hang in there Amal - just log into yahoo on those days and we'll be there for each other